​THE DUMP AND THE BLUEBERRY LOTS

In October of 1929, four years after the main house was completed, and two years after purchasing the Buell farm, Miss Edith purchased another 36 acres, in two pieces from George Buell. The smaller piece, about 4 acres, bordered Topsmead Farm along Jefferson Hill Road to the south, and filled in a gap between the farm and the property she acquired in 1926 that included Terryplace. The second parcel was about 32 acres, and this piece became the most southerly piece of land at Topsmead along the east side of Jefferson Hill Road South.
 
THE DUMP
Every home in the day had a place where trash was burned or buried as there were no trucks that came by to take trash away like we have today. Near the very southern end of the Topsmead estate was an open field road which went eastward, almost to Buell Road and the border of Miss Edith’s property. The road took a sharp left for several hundred feet that led to a fairly steep slope, and this spot was used as the dump. On Mondays Dad or one of the men would collect the garbage and waste from the main house and farm and then cart it here to be “dumped” down the embankment. This was about the farthest distance from the rest of the property. After dumping the waste, the garbage pails were washed at the well at Terryplace, and then returned to the house.
 
THE BLUEBERRY LOTS
Along the open field road on the way to the dump, to the left and right, several hundred feet along the east side of the road were hundreds of low growing blueberry bushes, only about a foot high. In season, these bushes produced an ample quantity of blueberries. Further to the east, several hundred feet away, going down a steep slope was an abundance of taller high bush blueberries. These bushes required a bit of effort to get to as the terrain was rougher. Late each spring, the ladies would pick the berries, and when they felt they had picked an adequate supply for the main house, they announced to the employees that they could pick whatever they wanted. We all enjoyed many blueberry pies and muffins thanks to these bushes. Sadly, today this area is covered with pine trees, and only the road to the dump area remains.